Buddy System

Description: A buddy system can refer to either

  • Face‐to‐face support by the social prescribing practitioner between referral and the first session of
    a group, intervention or service, which is thought to increase the likelihood of attendance.
  • A community member-to-community member linkage for support with engagement in a socially
    prescribed group, intervention or service. The community member offering their support may be
    a social prescribing volunteer, or they may hold a paid role. They have lived experience of
    particular difficulties, e.g., mental health difficulties or chronic pain, and will usually have accessed
    the group, intervention or service directly through a social prescribing service and subsequently
    offered to support individuals to engage with a particular community asset.

Alternative Terms: peer mentors, peer navigators, peer supporters

Connected Terms: Community Assets, Community & Voluntary Sector Organisations, person-centred approach, referralsocial prescribing models, social prescribing pathway, social prescribing practitioner, wellbeing.

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